Frustration over noisy campus construction

View of the construction outside the bedroom window of Cypress Hall residents. Photo by Hailey Hill.

Construction on the California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) campus is giving the growing school ample opportunity to expand. However, the future benefits have brought the present inconveniences- students living on campus have become frustrated with the disruptive noise created by the construction process.

“Sometimes they start right at 6 a.m. and you can hear the construction trucks, said first year Megan Macias, a resident of Cypress Hall. One of the major construction projects is taking place near Area One housing and is particularly disruptive to those living in Cypress Hall. Since the construction typically starts at relatively early hours of the morning, students are often woken up early by the noise.

Other Area One residents hold the same opinions as Macias. While students are not opposed to the construction, students such as Brittany Greenaway say they “wish they would start around 10 a.m. instead of 6 a.m., especially on weekends, since it can wake you up.”

The construction is leading to the total and irreversible destruction of my sleep schedule.

It’s no secret that sleep is valuable to college students and it can be truly aggravating to be woken up by unpleasant sounds when someone is already sleep deprived. Some residents are especially frustrated with the noise and the disturbance it causes. Gabe Mercado, resident of Cypress Hall, said, “The construction is leading to the total and irreversible destruction of my sleep schedule.”

Construction noise isn’t limited to Area One; construction of a new academic building on Divarty Street has been disrupting residents living in Area Two. Courtni Branch, a resident of Avocet Hall, said, “The sound can be very repetitive, which makes me really irritable.”

Despite the frustration created by the construction, the inconvenience is only temporary and will have multitudes of beneficial results. The construction in Area One is all work towards a new student union. The construction on Divarty Street will become the new College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences building, which will provide new and expanded facilities for those interested in art and similar subjects. Both facilities are expected to be completed within the next few years.